Greetings!
On October 23, 2008, Jerry D. Olds announced to his staff that he is resigning as State Engineer effective December 16, 2008.
Mr. Olds earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Utah State University and is a licensed professional engineer in Utah. He began working for the Division of Water Rights in 1972. He served as an Assistant State Engineer prior to being appointed State Engineer in February 2002. Mr. Olds has accomplished a lot during his tenure in the State Engineer's Office and as State Engineer, including helping to automate Utah's water rights records, negotiating several federal and Indian reserved water rights claims, promoting water enforcement legislation, conducting numerous water resource investigations throughout the state, and working to balance water rights with water supply.
The State Engineer is appointed by the Governor and serves for a four-year term. Mr. Olds' term would have expired in March of 2009. No announcement has been made as to either an interim or permanent replacement for Mr. Olds.
We appreciate Mr. Olds' efforts to manage and administer the state's water rights, and we wish him well in his retirement.
